Varena
General
Varena is different from the other countries in the region because it is the only human real republic. In the past the country was a rather warring nation that often had disputes with its neighbors which are now current Eprus and Terios and the small states in between still existing during that time period. It is currently the largest human trade nation on Farlis but that has started to change a bit with the rise of both Kevarim and Terios. It has a reputation for being a pleasant country with good weather and food, making it a popular travel destination for nobles from other countries. Originally the current capital of Varena, Tharsis, was founded by the Old Pavan Empire before its independence in 212 AE which was given in return for an indefinite alliance. Before the fall of the Avaronian Empire Tharsis was used as an outpost during the Pavan-Avaronian War. After the defeat of the High Elf army near Bagor, the city became a trading port and several new cities appeared near it.Government
Since Varena is a republic its leaders are chosen by vote rather than by regular succession. The leader from Varena is called the Principene, a title which is currently held by Principene Elando Gabrisi. A Principene is chosen for 30 years by a large group of citizens that also vote on the day to day public affairs. However even after becoming a republic it took several centuries to fully prevent powerful Varenan Families to stay in power for too long. In 886 AE a new law was added to ensure that a leader could not endorse a successor from his own family while being in office. This eliminated ruling dynasties but it still occurs that a member of the same powerful family becomes the next Principene.Demography and Population
Varena is a country where a vast majority of the population is Human. Half-Elves and Gnomes are the second most common in the regular cities but still low in numbers in comparison to the Humans. The only places where other humanoids are more common is in the settlements of the Elhir Peaks where some Dragonborn and Dark Elves live.
Territories
Most of Varena is filled with hills and rivers making it a great place for agriculture of warmer climate plants. The climate is pleasant and the rainfall is plenty enough to make it a fertile area. The wines created here are famous across all of Farlis and can even be found in the Pavan Empire. The most populated area of Varena is around the small Kavis Inner Sea where the capital Tharsis is located in a large lagoon.
More to the north of the capital there is a large green region filled with rivers of which some flow towards the Kavis Sea. Most of this region is filled with vineyards and orchards which supports a large part the country’s economy. Luckily for Varena this area did not suffer too much during the recent war.
The south-western part of the country is rather strange. The Silent Forest was once a tranquil forest until a cataclysmic event made the whole region barren. Even today it is not known what actually caused this but it most certainly involved some form of magic. In this forest the barrier between the material plane and the other planes is really thin and the area is filled with chaos magic.
Cities
The capital, Tharsis, was founded by the Pavan Empire and its cultural influences can still be found today. After the secession of all territories in Farlis, the city became independent in 212 AE. Even then it was already becoming a major trading port in the region and it became a guaranteed stop for all trade vessels coming from the south-western part of Farlis. Many people flock towards the capital to see its many historic buildings and typical canals. In the southern part of the Kavis coastline one can find the city Seradia, famous for its large villa’s and mansions. Most of the richest families have one or several houses there. It is a custom for these families to send their newly wed family members here to go on a long honeymoon before taking over positions in a guild or political institution. Among the numerous vineyards and orchards in the north several trading cities can be found that transport goods to all neighboring countries. The largest city is Neron which is surrounded on all sides by the most renowned vineyards. It is also the city through which many traderoutes towards Eprus pass. Trade towards Terios however goes through the city of Faldenze along the east coast. Besides being a port city, Faldenze also has a unique location with sections of the city build upon plateaus much higher than the coastline. Although the Silent Forest is a barren wasteland some settlements can still be found along the edges. Most of the forest is filled with ancient ruins from ancient Gnome or unknown origins. The largest of the settlements in the Silent Forest is Kavaldri which is build inside the ruins of another city. Some fully stone buildings can be found here but most of the city is a shanty town. Beside the normal settlements there are also many researchers and cultists in the area interested in the arcane. There are no real settlements further than Kavaldri since any travel deeper into the Silent Forest is very dangerous. The only humanoids living there are barbarian tribes that sometimes raid a settlement but more often just keep to themselves. The most dangerous things in the Silent Forest are the monstrosities that are spawned by the Chaos magic in the area. Even among the Elhir Peaks the humans from Varena have built settlements. Despite having the Volker Desert on the other side, the middle regions of the mountains are decently humid. All rain coming from the east falls down in the Elhir Peaks making it sufficiently fit for settlement. The largest city in this region is Radeno, next to a large lake. Although some of the mountains are high and have surrounding colder regions, most of the settlements are located in the lower mountains and valleys where the temperature is closer to the Varena average. Beside human cities there are also Dragonborn and Dark Elf settlements in the mountains.Technological Level
The scientific level of Varena was comparable to Terios before Terios started to uses machines. Many of the scholars in Varena studied in Golandon where they learned more about these techniques. Currently the country is still behind but plans are being made to construct the first factories. These plans were however delayed due to the recent war.
Foreign Relations
About 82 years ago an agreement between Terios, Varena and Eprus was established called the Eastern Alliance. This cooperation was deemed necessary after centuries of infighting between the countries, which ultimately gave them a weakened position against their northern and western neighbors. Since the start of the alliance all of the countries have flourished in trade and stability.
Varena has had a long history of fighting the surrounding states. From its original capital Faldenze it conquered most of the south-eastern coastline and even made many advances towards states to the north of it. Varenan culture is due to these conquests prominent along the south-eastern coastline. The frequency of their warmongering decreased after the country’s transition from a monarchy to a republic.
Education
Education in Varena is rather mediocre. There are universities in Tharsis and Seradia but these do not have the same standing as the one in Terios or Kevarim. Most of the students focus on economic or political studies rather than scientific ones. The Archonic Church also has some centres of learning here where religion, languages, art and literature are taught.
Basic education is present in all of the cities to some extent but not required. Many of the poorer families go to schools of the Archonic School to learn reading and writing rather than the public schools.
Type
Geopolitical, Republic
Government System
Electocracy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
The currency of Varena is called the Firan. The main starting point for the Firan is the silver coin worth 1 Firan. From there on there are silver coins worth 2, 5, 10 and 50 Firan. Golden coins are used for larger values and one golden Firan, Firani, is worth 100 regular Firan. The golden coins exists in values of 5,10 and 100. For smaller values copper coins are used with no name and a 100 of these copper coins make up one Firan.
Major Exports
Wine, Olives, Olive Oil, Lemons, Oranges
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